The Performing Rights Organization of Canada (PROCAN) was the second collective administering public performance rights in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. In 1990 it merged with the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of Canada to create the

Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) is a Canadian performance rights organization that represents the performing rights of more than 175,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. The organization collect ...

History

PROCAN was founded in 1940 as BMI Canada Limited, a part of the US company

Broadcast Music, Inc Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 22.4 milli ...

. In 1947, under the leadership of William Harold Moon, it began taking a more active role on behalf of Canadians, attracting new affiliates from around the world. In 1976, BMI Canada's shares were acquired by Music Promotion Foundation, and in 1977, its name was changed to Performing Rights Organization of Canada, now a fully Canadian nonprofit organization. In 1977, William Harold Moon became PRO Canada's first chairman of the board, and Gordon Henderson its first president. Upon Moon's death, Henderson succeeded him as chairman of the board, and Jan Matejcek became president. By 1989, the organization represented 21,018 writers and composers and 3456 publishers. In 1984, negotiations began about a possible merger between PROCAN and CAPAC. In 1990, the two, alongside the Music Promotion Foundation, merged to form

SOCAN The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) is a Canadian performance rights organization that represents the performing rights of more than 175,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. The organization collect ...

. Henderson was in charge of both PROCAN and the MPF while CAPAC was headed by John Mills. Upon the creation of SOCAN, Jan Matejcek became its first CEO, and Gordon Henderson later became its chairman.Kieran Simpson (1990). ''Canadian Who's Who''.

References

Canadian copyright law Music organizations based in Canada Music licensing organizations 1940 establishments in Canada